Crystal Palace assistant manager Osian Roberts said the absence of Patrick Vieira was a big factor in the 3-0 loss at Tottenham.Vieira was not in the dugout in north London after testing positive for coronavirus, one of a number of cases in the Palace camp which saw them try to get the Boxing Day game called off.The Premier League refused their request and Spurs piled on the misery as goals from...Full Story »

Paul Warne felt it was a wasted opportunity after his Rotherham side failed to extend their points total at the top of table with a 1-0 defeat at Accrington.The Millers remain two points ahead of Wigan, who now have two games in hand, and the loss ended their club-record 21-game unbeaten run in all competitions.Stanley’s longest serving player Sean McConville scored with winner with an acr...Full Story »

Kelty Hearts suffered their first cinch League Two defeat of the season as they lost 5-1 at Annan.Nathan Austin put the league leaders ahead after 36 minutes, but the two teams went into half-time level after Owen Moxon’s equaliser, while the visitors had Jordon Forster sent off following an incident as the teams left the field.Michael Garrity’s strike just after the break and a hat-...Full Story »

Dundee manager James McPake felt the SPFL put both sides at risk by rejecting a request for their cinch Premiership trip to Aberdeen to be postponed.The Dens Park side travelled north with a depleted squad after a positive Covid-19 test in their camp, with five further players deemed to be close contacts and also ruled out.McPake refused to use the decision as an excuse for his side’s 2-1 ...Full Story »

Chris Wilder enjoyed an “electric afternoon” as his Middlesbrough side climbed into the Sky Bet Championship play-off places in front of a crowd of almost 30,000 at the Riverside.Boro rose to their highest position of the season so far as a first-half own goal from Ryan Yates and second-half strike from Andraz Sporar secured a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest that made it 13 points fro...Full Story »

Manager Steven Schumacher hailed the professionalism of his Plymouth players after they claimed a 2-0 win at Cheltenham.A goal in each half for Panutche Camara and Jordon Garrick ensured Argyle maintained their promotion push with a second successive victory.“Professional is probably the best word to describe the way we played,” Schumacher said.“We produced two moments of good ...Full Story »

Steve Cotterill was delighted that his Shrewsbury side finally got their just rewards on the road after they claimed a 3-0 win at Fleetwood.The Shrews went ahead through Ryan Bowman five minutes into the second half, with Josh Vela doubling the lead in the 72nd minute.Daniel Udoh hit an unstoppable third with 10 minutes left to seal their first away league win of the season.Cotterill felt his te...Full Story »

A goal in each half for Panutche Camara and Jordon Garrick ensured Plymouth maintained their Sky Bet League One promotion push with a 2-0 win at Cheltenham.Camara opened the scoring three minutes before half-time, finishing off a fine flowing move also involving Joe Edwards after Dan Scarr nodded clear a Cheltenham corner.Chris Hussey had already been called upon to clear off the line after Edwa...Full Story »

Bukayo Saka scored twice as Arsenal coasted to a 5-0 Boxing Day victory at Norwich to strengthen their hopes of a top-four Premier League finish.The Gunners have been able to fulfil all of their fixtures of late as others in the table see games postponed due to Covid cases and Mikel Arteta’s side made light work of rock-bottom Norwich at Carrow Road.Saka scored in both halves, his brace co...Full Story »

Depleted Mansfield made it 10 wins in 11 games as they fought back from 2-0 down to beat visiting Hartlepool 3-2 with three goals in 11 second-half minutes.Luke Molyneux and Micky Featherstone had Pools in control but Mansfield rallied in superb fashion through John-Joe O’Toole, Jordan Bowery and George Maris.The Stags somehow found themselves behind at the break, despite dominating with B...Full Story »

A late goal from Jan Bednarek secured a rare away-day victory for Southampton as West Ham’s slump continued.Bednarek’s header condemned the Hammers to a 3-2 Premier League defeat, their third straight loss, and earned Saints only their second win on the road this season.West Ham’s hopes of a place in the top four now look increasingly forlorn after another below-par display at ...Full Story »

Hearts wrapped up the calendar year with a 2-1 victory over Ross County thanks to goals from Michael Smith and Ben Woodburn.The pair scored in a completely dominant first half for the hosts that also saw John Souttar twice hit the frame of the goal.But an improved display from the visitors aligned to Hearts becoming careless saw County grab one back through Jordan White in the 72nd minute.The vi...Full Story »

Lucas Moura scored one and made two more as Tottenham piled on the Boxing Day misery for Crystal Palace with a 3-0 win.Palace had failed in their attempts to get the game called off after a coronavirus outbreak in their squad, with manager Patrick Vieira one of those affected by a positive test and absent in north London.And, after the Premier League ruled the game should go ahead, Moura made ma...Full Story »

Scunthorpe substitute Ryan Loft scored twice as his side came from behind to defeat League Two relegation rivals Oldham 3-1 and move off the foot of the table, with Latics replacing them.Loft came on at half-time with his side trailing and went on to play a pivotal role in the Iron’s first away win of the season.It was also Keith Hill’s first victory as manager.Scunthorpe created the...Full Story »

Middlesbrough moved into the Sky Bet Championship play-off places for only the second time this season as they beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 at the Riverside.Chris Wilder’s in-form side claimed a fourth success from their last five matches as a comical own goal from Ryan Yates and second-half strike from Andraz Sporar secured a deserved win.Forest were outplayed throughout, with their own goo...Full Story »

A Matt Robinson brace made it back-to-back wins for Dagenham as they beat Dover 2-0.Robinson put the visitors in front just 10 minutes into the game and they quickly came close to scoring again through Junior Morias.Mo Sagaf was then able to pick Robinson out and the midfielder got his second of the game in the 36th minute.Dagenham continued to press and Dover goalkeeper Josh Bexon made a good s...Full Story »

Antoni Sarcevic claimed his maiden Stockport strike as County thrashed Altrincham 5-1 in the National League.Will Collar netted his fourth goal in three games as County ran riot in the first half at Edgeley Park, with Paddy Madden, Scott Quigley and Ollie Crankshaw also finding the net.County returned to winning ways in the league in style, following their 2-1 reverse at Torquay last time out.Al...Full Story »

Two late penalties forced Aldershot and Woking to share the spoils as they drew 1-1 in the Vanarama National League.Corie Andrews’ 85th-minute spot-kick put 10-man Aldershot ahead, but the Cardinals were also awarded a penalty deep into stoppage time and Max Kretzschmar pulled one back to force a draw.Woking had good chance just before half-time when Tahvon Campbell came down the left and ...Full Story »

Tomi Adeloye scored and missed a penalty as Ayr dented Raith’s cinch Championship promotion hopes with a 2-0 victory at Somerset Park.Striker Adeloye fired the home side into a 22nd-minute lead after capitalising on a defensive error to close in on goal and fire into the bottom corner.It might have been 2-0 eight minutes before the break, but full-back Patrick Reading’s shot from a t...Full Story »

Nicky Maynard’s first Sky Bet League Two goal for Tranmere helped Rovers to a 2-0 win over Barrow and fired Micky Mellon’s side into the top three.Maynard’s four previous goals for the Prenton Park outfit had all been scored in the Papa John’s Trophy.So there was extra joy for the ex-Crewe, Bristol City and Mansfield striker when he eluded Barrow’s offside trap to c...Full Story »